


The one with the double double date

by dreamerbydawn



Series: The complications of dating [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Date Night, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Ulterior Motives, [Spring break draft clean up]
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-04-08
Packaged: 2018-03-21 19:55:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3703523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamerbydawn/pseuds/dreamerbydawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Fiona and Lip decide to have a couple's night at the Gallaghers, and basically thrust Ian and Mickey into the spotlight, they intended for it to go exactly like this. Right? </p>
<p>  Well, they're not so sure anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The one with the double double date

The Gallagher house exuded a different kind of atmosphere that Saturday night, the lights a little dimmer, the cushions set in the living room cozier and the kitchen table actually covered with a cloth and mounted with candles and flowers, eight places already clearly set. 

"Hey sorry we're -" Ian began, pushing open the backdoor to his family home and freezing at the sight, Mickey walking right into him, a curse already falling from his lips. 

"What the fuck is going on here?" He demands as soon as he catches sight of what had stunned his boyfriend silent. 

"Couple's night!" Fiona announced, her biggest smile in place even as keen eyes observed the resulting reaction. 

Ian's gaze immediately flicked towards his partner, seeming worried, while Mickey's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. 

"It's basically a movie and a fancy dinner, at home" Lip chimed in, entering the kitchen from the opposite direction after having heard their arrival. 

It had originally been his idea, setting this up so his little brother would finally have some sense knocked into him about dating and moving in with a certain Milkovich. Almost as if trying to make it that much easier for him though, Mickey spoke again.

"And we're here because?" he questioned, glancing between the two older Gallaghers while they watched the flash of hurt in Ian's eyes.

"Because you're dating my fucking brother" Lip snapped, not bothering to contain his annoyance. 

Sure, the whole point of the night was to hurt Ian so he'd learn, but the theory of it was easier than actually watching him get hurt.

"Doesn't mean I gotta do gay shit" Mickey retorted, his own irritation at Lip's tone clear. 

"No offense Mickey, but you are gay" Lip pointed out dryly, even as Ian shot him a warning glance. 

"Well next time give us a heads up or something" The taller boy cut in before Mickey's mood got ruined for good. 

"So you can ditch with a sorry excuse?" The older Gallagher brother asked, quirking an eyebrow. 

"So we can bring the wine" Ian deadpanned flatly. 

Fiona was glaring at Lip, trying to think of a quick way to diffuse the tension before all of this became another wasted effort on their part when, thankfully, an oblivious Kev decided to shout at them from the living room. 

"Ey! I see everyone's here for the double double date" He grinned, earning multiple snorts and a very loud complaint from Vee about how many times a phrase could get used before it got old. 

"You wanna leave?" Ian whispered, biting at his bottom lip as he looked over to Mickey again. 

"Does it look like we fucking can?" Mickey bit out, his anger at the situation redirecting itself at his boyfriend. 

Ian had been about to offer a reply when he noticed his siblings were turning their attention back towards them. Mickey seemed to notice too and very stubbornly walked past the Gallaghers standing around and into the living room, Ian's sigh following him. 

The younger boy waited for a moment, maybe for either Fiona or Lip to indulge in their new hobby of taking shots at his relationship, resigning himself to a long night when they simply walked away. 

* 

Fiona had settled into the seat next to Jimmy, half draping herself over him. On the loveseat across her were Kev and Vee, both of them pressed against each other, his hand wrapped around her and on the couch next to them was Lip, Amanda on his lap and resting against his chest. 

They had removed all extra seats from the room, forcing Mickey to take the other corner of the couch, the only other empty space available now, being the small gap between the cushion next to Lip and the Milkovich boy. 

She watched as Ian finally walked in, two beers in his hand and pausing at the doorway to take in the scene. He crossed the room without comment and settled himself on the floor by Mickey's legs instead, handing up one can for his partner. 

Fiona noticed Lip grit his teeth and knew his expression was probably reflected on her face, but her younger brother was oblivious, his attention focused on Kev who was fiddling with the remote to start the movie. 

"So what are we watching?" Ian asks, leaning back against the couch. 

"THE ultimate romantic movie of all time" Vee answered with a wide smile. 

"I still think that's P.S. I Love You" Amanda countered, picking up the old disagreement again. 

"Nothing beats the Titanic sweetie" The Gallagher's neighbor tutted again, ignoring a sputtering Ian and Mickey. 

"Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?" Mickey grumbled loudly. 

"Seriously guys?" Ian pleads at the same time. 

He might be gay, but even he wasn't quite that gay, besides movie nights were supposed to have Van Damme or James Bond or something. For fuck's sake though, It was like no one noticed they were two teenage guys that fell firmly into the stereotype of loving firearms and some action. 

"Both of you, do not ruin this night" Fiona instructed, adding a jab before she could help herself "Some of us actually know how to do romance right" 

Ian's expression that had previously been exasperation, now closed off as he turned towards the screen to watch the opening credits rolling up on the screen. 

*   
About one hour in and with Rose and Jack reaching their short lived happiness, the couples in the room had all relaxed into each other. Kev was kissing into Vee's neck and Fiona's hand had slipped under Jimmy's shirt.

Lip was stroking Amanda's hair while keeping his attention on the only pair that was still distinctly uncomfortable. Mickey had not relaxed once despite the lights being turned off and Ian was keeping to himself on the floor. 

The older Gallagher brother had been certain it would stay that way till the movie was over, but he noticed Ian getting bored out of his mind. The redhead was clearly sleepy, actually nodding off a little and accidentally leaning sideways into his boyfriend's leg. 

Mickey jerked at the contact, instantly kicking for his partner to back off and Lip was tempted to throw a punch at the sight of Ian retreating without protest. Only problem was, he wasn't entirely sure which of the two he wanted to punch right then. 

"Popcorn?" Fiona called loudly, evidently having noticed the same thing as Lip had and upon receiving a resounding 'yes' from the room, directed Ian to get it. 

"You're the sleepy one" She used as an excuse, but she needn't have bothered. He had absolutely no protests to make and all but shot out of the room when given the chance. 

*  
"I think i'd choose India" Amanda smiles at her boyfriend and Lip nods encouragingly. 

"Definitely, the Taj Mahal" He agrees, turning to his sister. "You Fi?" 

"I don't know, you sure we can't say Paris too?" Fiona asks, glancing over to Kev and Vee before looking towards her own boyfriend. 

"Scotland is a good idea?" Jimmy offers, kissing their entwined hands. 

"If you say so" She nods, turning to her younger brother next "Ian? What about you and Mickey? Where would you two like to go?"

"It ain't like we're fucking going anywhere. What's with the fucking twenty questions?" Mickey grouched at them, Ian simply rolling his eyes. 

"Just name somewhere you'd like to take Ian, it's not that hard" Fiona snaps at him. 

"Fucking fine, the sox game" He shrugs and the rest of the room completely miss Ian's bright smile in favor of Mickey's sullen expression. 

*   
The night mostly continues on in that vein, Lip and Fiona both getting frustrated by Mickey's shit and Ian's complete lack of - well anything, at said shit. It all comes to a head when Mickey smacks Ian on the back of his head for something the redhead had just told Amanda, claiming as usual that it was too gay. 

"This what you fucking want?" Lip demands, bluntly interrupting his girlfriend's conversation with his brother. 

The table falls silent instantly, all eyes on the college going Gallagher as he continues to rant. 

"He insults you and shoves you away and doesn't give two shits and you're going to happily keep following him like some goddamn puppy?"

Fiona sets her jaw, ready to back Lip up at any given moment while the others fall back to wonder where this suddenly came from. Ian's expression transforms to a blank mask, completely unlike the anger filling Mickey's. 

"You know what you fucking -" The Milkovich begins, jumping to his feet when Ian grabs him by his forearm and yanks him back down, eyes still set on his brother. 

"Actually Lip, i'm kinda impressed" Ian informs tonelessly "At least you noticed i'm happy" 

"Happy? With what Ian? Have you even seen yourself lately? Seen how different you are now?" Fiona demands "You used to be the level headed Gallagher, making all the good choices, now you don't make any! You just let him do it for you"

"That's fucking bullshit, you know fuck all -" Mickey starts angrily a second time, once again to be shut down by Ian. 

"You're right." Ian agrees "My relationship is in his control. I agree to his terms and go with whatever pace he sets, but you know what Fiona? It's MY way, every damn thing i've pushed him into? I did it. Not him. So if he wants time to be okay with the things I want from him, then i'm not going anywhere. It's called fucking compromise, why don't you two look it up?"

There was a thing about Ian's anger. It went from a neat left hook that would hurt like a bitch but heal fine to this. This calm rage that spelled disaster for whoever it was directed at and usually? When it came to this, the smartest thing to do was get the fuck out of his way. Mickey knew that of course and he snapped his mouth shut, ready to hold his silence no matter how much the words shocked him. 

"Compromise? Since when does anyone need to compromise to sit next to their fucking boyfriend Ian?!?" Fiona yells, not quite receiving the same memo as Mickey did. 

"He kicked you for fucking falling asleep on him, or were you not there when that happened?" Lip joined in. 

"It was a date night that you forced us into with no fucking warning!" Ian snapped, now starting to suspect the night had all been about getting to this point. 

"Oh i'm sorry, how many days of notice do you need next time we try to do something nice?" The oldest Gallagher asks, quirking her brow at her brother. 

"Were you? Trying to do something nice Fi? Because from where i'm standing, you knew exactly how Mickey would take it and you pushed him into it so you can fight me on this now" He says, watching both his siblings for a reaction, hoping they'd tell him he was being ridiculous. 

Fiona fidgeted at the accusation, mentally scrambling for a defense and Lip didn't bother himself with trying to look guilty, settling to stare him down challengingly instead. 

"You set this up to hurt me?" Ian asks in a smaller voice, anger now replaced with childlike innocence as he stares at his older siblings.

Fiona and Lip were the two people who he always looked up to and loved despite their own terrible decisions. They were the two people he always counted on to have his back and Ian doesn't get how, the one time he chooses something they don't understand, they seemed to have no problem hurting him. 

"Ian, baby -" Fiona starts, heart melting at the betrayal on his face. 

"No. No, shut up" He orders, the words surprising her into doing exactly what he asked. 

"Look man, we're looking out for -" Lip begins when Ian struggles with the silence he had demanded. 

"Fuck you" The younger brother manages, glaring at Lip because it was always easier to fight him than his sister. "You two are supposed to have my back. You're supposed to shut up and let me do what makes me happy and if you happen to be right and it all crashes and burns, you're supposed to tell me I've still got the two of you. That is what I'd do - what I have done - for both of you." 

Ian's voice shakes with the hurt he's feeling, but he still stubbornly turns to face Fiona anyway, continuing on when looking her directly in the eye. 

"Hell, i'm doing it now. I hate Jimmy and I think he breaks your heart too many times, but I'm here and i'm okay with him because I know he also makes you happy. I don't fucking know why and I don't really care, because all I know is, you deserve to be happy Fiona. And I thought you'd do that for me too. I thought i'd be more important than whatever reason you have for not like the Milkovich's" 

He'd stood up when he talked and all he really wanted was to go home and get away from Fiona and Lip, away from this sham of a date night with stupid cheesy movies and fancy food that none of them really liked. 

"You are. I just don't see you being happy Ian" Fiona confessed then, her words a little strangled. 

"Then you're not really seeing me at all Fi, because i'm happier than I ever remember being. And if I wanted candles and roses, I'd have never fallen for Mickey." Ian admits softly. 

"What the fuck do you want then?" Lip frowns, sounding genuinely confused. 

"Him" He answers simply, pointing a finger towards Mickey "I want him"

"And I want to go home" Ian adds, looking towards his boyfriend, eyes pleading for Mickey to get them out.

**Author's Note:**

> So, what did you guys think?


End file.
